


No Filter

by pandorabox82



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-03
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2019-03-26 11:38:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13857018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorabox82/pseuds/pandorabox82
Summary: JJ heads to a No Filter show, eager to meet her vlogger idols. But a chance encounter with Emily has her rethinking the filters she has on her own personal life.





	No Filter

JJ sighed as she pushed her blonde hair out of her face. At twenty five, she was a little old to be heading to a #nofilter show, but she had gotten hooked on the trio of young women when Penelope had showed her the first videos, when she had been ill a few months ago. She had even set up a Tumblr to follow them on. And then, just when she had managed to snag backstage tickets, Penelope had ended up ill and unable to attend the show.

Letting out another sigh, she moved forward in the line to enter the venue. From behind, someone jostled her, and she tripped forward into the woman ahead of her. "Shit!" she said and JJ blanched, hoping that the woman wouldn't turn around and yell at her. She screwed her eyes closed as the woman began to turn, and then she was speaking once more. "Jayje!"

Her eyes flew open as she looked into Emily's bright eyes. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be studying for the entrance exams?"

"So should you. I didn't know you liked vloggers."

The woman shrugged a little as she fished around in her pockets for a tissue to blot up the spilled coffee on her blouse. "I'm really just here for Grace Helbig. There's something about her sense of humor that speaks to me."

"Ah." JJ suddenly felt silly for liking all three women, like Emily would judge her for her fannish ways.

"Hey, don't look sad! I'm glad that I met someone I know here. Jayje?"

She shrugged a little, drawing into herself as she looked down at the ground. "I'm just a little embarrassed, I guess. I'm totally a Hartbig shipper." The whispered admission took everything in her being to say, and then Emily was reaching out and slinging an arm around her waist, tugging her against her body tightly. "Emmy?"

"I never said I hated the other two, just that I can relate to Grace the most. And who isn't a Hartbig shipper?" she whispered in her ear as they moved forward once more.

A little giggle escaped JJ's lips as she nodded. "There is that. Where are you sitting?"

"I got nosebleed seats, since I was too late to get anything good. Why?"

"My roommate, Penelope, got food poisoning, we think, and hasn't moved from the bathroom for the last twelve hours. Her boyfriend, Kevin, is taking care of her tonight so that I wouldn't worry about leaving her alone back at the Academy. And I happened to bring her ticket along with me, backstage pass and all."

"Shut up!" Emily exclaimed as she reached up and smacked JJ's shoulder lightly. "And you're going to let me take her place?"

"Well, I might as well put it to some use," she replied as they were finally crossing the threshold of the theatre. Pulling the tickets out of her purse, she handed one set to Emily as they made their way over to one of the people scanning the tickets. "So, do you want to get anything to drink before we head in? Maybe some wine?"

"No, if we're going backstage to meet them, I want to be sober for that experience. It wouldn't do to have a case of verbal diarrhea, you know." JJ nodded as they found their seats. The plush velvet of the chairs was an unexpected luxury, and as they sat down, JJ couldn't help

Emily pointed down their row, and as JJ followed her finger, she felt her jaw drop a little. "No way! That's David Rossi, the author!"

"He's also one of the BAU's top profilers, him and Aaron Hotchner. I've been studying them all, in an effort to learn how to get onto the Alpha team, once we're done with the Academy. I hear that the Section Chief is a real hard ass, though."

JJ shook her head a little as she settled back into her seat. "No, Strauss is just really intense, according the Penelope. She's also doing that, though hers is a little more confidential than your research, probably. There's a reason why she's studying at the Academy. And she's already being fast tracked to work for the BAU as a technical analyst. Strauss handpicked her, but you're not allowed to tell anyone else that. I mean it, Emmy."

Emily nodded as the house lights went down. The moment that the trio peeked out from behind the curtain, she and Emily were on their feet, clapping and cheering. A small part of JJ couldn't help but take a peek down the rows to see how Rossi was reacting, and she felt her eyes widen to see that Strauss was with him, two young girls ensconced between them.

Whipping out her phone, she texted Penelope, asking if her research had shown that the two were a couple, only to receive a curt text back saying that the only way she'd find out answers like that was if she sent pictures to her. Giggling a little, JJ did as asked, sending a short video of Hannah's introduction, along with a few pictures of the trio before she got her reply.

_No, she's married, but they were an item, back in the day. Why, are they there with her daughters?_

JJ gaped a little at her phone, tapping out a quick reply before focusing her attention once more on the stage. Throughout the show, she kept catching Emily's eye, and they would smile shyly before returning their focus to the stage. And then, she felt Emily's foot tap against hers, and she looked over to see that the young woman was jerking her head towards Rossi and Strauss. Behind the girls' backs, they were holding hands, and JJ grinned, knowing that she had some juicy gossip for Penelope when she got home.

The rest of the show seemed to fly by, and then it was time for their meet and greet backstage, and as she stood, JJ grabbed hold of Emily's hand and began to drag her towards where they had to go. It took a few seconds for her to realise what, exactly, she'd done, but it felt right to have their hands entwined as they were.

They arrived at the backstage access door at nearly the same time as Rossi and Strauss, and JJ had to fight to keep from blurting out that she knew them. Still, Strauss gave Emily an odd look before frowning slightly. "Excuse me, this is an odd question, but is your mother Elizabeth Prentiss?"

Emily blinked rapidly as she gave a small nod to the woman. "Why?"

"I knew her, years ago. Our husbands used to run in the same circles. And you look exactly like her." Emily stiffened a little, and JJ squeezed her hand gently, letting her know that she was still there. "Well, I mean, there is a bit of your dad in your features, too, but you have her eyes."

"A lot of people say that. I'll tell her you said hello the next time I see her." Emily's voice was cooler than JJ had ever heard it before, and it was then that she remembered that her mother was a sore spot for her, and her actions made complete sense.

Strauss nodded and gave them a small smile before turning to look down into one of her daughter's faces. As JJ watched, her entire posture changed, becoming more open and free as she talked animatedly with her.

Soon enough, however, they were being let in the back and JJ felt a thrum of excitement run through her as she followed the throng of people inside. Strauss's older daughter was hot on their heels, seemingly trying to escape her mother and Rossi, and JJ gave her a tiny smile before addressing her. "Hey, I'm JJ, by the way."

"Martha," she said warmly as she extended her hand. They both shook it before she ran her fingers through her long blonde hair. "Dave is nice enough, but he's not Dad. I'll get used to it in time, especially when he's been awesome like this, but…"

"You don't like change. I get that. I hated it when my parents separated," JJ said as she reached up and fingered the pendant around her neck.

Martha nodded as they moved forward in the line, and soon they had fallen into an excited conversation about the trio of women they were getting closer and closer to meeting. "I can't believe we're so close!" Martha squealed, stealing a look back at her mom and sister.

"I know!" The enthusiasm was infectious, and as she stepped forward a little, JJ found herself tripping over her own feet, grateful that Emily was able to catch and steady her. Hannah Hart seemed to notice, since she giggled a little as she nodded. JJ felt her cheeks become hot with a deep blush, and she gripped Emily's hand tighter as they finally reached the front of the line.

"I seem to have swept you off your feet," the vlogger teased as she reached her hand out. JJ blushed a little harder as she giggled and shook her head, shaking Hannah's hand strongly. "At least your girlfriend has some smooth moves."

JJ's eyes widened as she looked over at Emily, taking in the tiniest hint of a blush on her face. "Yeah, she's a great friend." Hannah nodded and then signed the poster for their tour, allowing them to move down to Grace Helbig, and then Mamrie Hart. For JJ, though, the rest of the meet and greet was a blur as she kept turning Hannah's words around in her head.

"Well, Mom's ready to go. It was nice meeting you and getting away from them for a little while," Martha said as she gave them a wave before jogging over to Strauss and Rossi. Both adults gave them a grateful nod before slipping off into the night. And just like that, JJ and Emily were alone.

"So, girlfriends, huh?" Emily said with a deprecating chuckle, and JJ nodded as she worried her lip between her teeth. "Well, I suppose that that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, would it?"

JJ started a little as she stopped them just a few feet from the carpark. "Excuse me?"

"Well, I mean, you were giving me some pretty clear signals that you liked me more than friends. Or was I reading things just as wrong as Hannah Hart?"

She swallowed thickly as she shook her head. "I've never had a girlfriend before. You'd be my first. And the first person I'd be dating after Will."

"So, I'd be the woman who turned you, then," Emily teased, the light tone back in her voice. "This will be fun." JJ blushed as she giggled. "So, what are you going to tell Penelope first? That Strauss and Rossi are a couple, or that we're a couple?"

"It depends. Which do you think is the juicier tidbit?"

"I would say Strossi, but I think this might be a little more juicy." Without warning, Emily leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips. JJ sighed with pleasure as the kiss ended, and she knew, deep in her heart, that this might be the relationship to last the tests of time. And she couldn't wait to tell Penelope how glad she was that she had ended up sick, allowing there to be no filter between her and Emily that evening.


End file.
